I've been teaching my two boys(3 and 6) French for almost a year. And since my accent and pronunciation are far from perfect, I've used the web as a way for my kids to hear French spoken by native speakers. Here are a few of my favorite web resources if you want to help your kids learn a second language.
My kids really enjoy watching French song videos for kids. The images help them pick up some of the key french words and entertain them at the same time. To find appropriate videos on youtube, search for "kids songs + [language]". If you are looking for French ones specifically, check out the resource section of LanguageMom.com where I've sorted them by different topics. My kids think the "Allouette" song is hysterical and love singing along. (You can find that one in the "Body" section.)
2. Language Apps
I love the "LinguPingu" apps for the iPhone and iPad. They have a version for several languages. The app includes 9 categories, (eg. foods, animals), and within each section there are 9-10 images. Your child can touch one of the images and the image animates and the name of the image is spoken in the selected language. My 3 year old gets a kick out of playing with this on my iPhone. For more advanced language learners, look for ebook apps in that language. This French Little Red Riding french ebook app is a good one for French learners.
About.com has several language specific sections that are very robust. While I find it a bit overwhelming and more geared towards adults, I found this vocabulary section in the French area particularly useful if you want to focus on a specific topic with your child. (Scroll down to see the various lists of words and phrases by category.)
This educational site includes interactive games for several languages. I think it's a great way to reinforce specific topics of learning. If your kids can read, they may be able to practice on their own.
With all the resources now available on the web, it's easier than ever to introduce your kids to a second language or encourage them to practice. Since second languages are not a priority in elementary or middle school, this is a truly valuable skill that you can encourage your children to develop. (And as a parent, it's really rewarding.)
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Help your kids learn a second language!
I've been teaching my two boys(3 and 6) French for almost a year. And since my accent and pronunciation are far from perfect, I've used the web as a way for my kids to hear French spoken by native speakers. Here are a few of my favorite web resources if you want to help your kids learn a second language.
1. Kids music videos on youtube.com
My kids really enjoy watching French song videos for kids. The images help them pick up some of the key french words and entertain them at the same time. To find appropriate videos on youtube, search for "kids songs + [language]". If you are looking for French ones specifically, check out the resource section of LanguageMom.com where I've sorted them by different topics. My kids think the "Allouette" song is hysterical and love singing along. (You can find that one in the "Body" section.)
2. Language Apps
I love the "LinguPingu" apps for the iPhone and iPad. They have a version for several languages. The app includes 9 categories, (eg. foods, animals), and within each section there are 9-10 images. Your child can touch one of the images and the image animates and the name of the image is spoken in the selected language. My 3 year old gets a kick out of playing with this on my iPhone. For more advanced language learners, look for ebook apps in that language. This French Little Red Riding french ebook app is a good one for French learners.
3. About.com Languages
About.com has several language specific sections that are very robust. While I find it a bit overwhelming and more geared towards adults, I found this vocabulary section in the French area particularly useful if you want to focus on a specific topic with your child. (Scroll down to see the various lists of words and phrases by category.)
4. Interactive practice
This educational site includes interactive games for several languages. I think it's a great way to reinforce specific topics of learning. If your kids can read, they may be able to practice on their own.
With all the resources now available on the web, it's easier than ever to introduce your kids to a second language or encourage them to practice. Since second languages are not a priority in elementary or middle school, this is a truly valuable skill that you can encourage your children to develop. (And as a parent, it's really rewarding.)